12 Nigerian Musicians Who Started From The Choir

Here are a few Nigerian musicians who got their start in the pews of the choir before hitting the jackpot in the entertainment industry.

1. Chidinma

Before Chidinma Ekile won Project Fame West Africa, she was a chorister at the Foursquare Gospel Church

2. Waje

As a young and gifted singer, Waje sang in church and was so good that the late Archbishop Benson Idahosa of the Word of Faith Church, Benin decided to cater for her all through her secondary school days.

3. Darey Art Alade

Darey was born into a family of performers like his father and he joined the wagon. At 8, he joined the children’s choir and even led the school choir in school.

He was also a member of the choir of the Cathedral Church of Christ and took lessons at the Musical Society of Nigeria.

4. J Martins

J Martins caught the music bug from his mother who was a choir mistress. He was in the church choir and even produced for some gospel singers.

5. Iyanya

Iyanya’s grandfather was a clergyman and he used to sing in his church’s choir and was the choir master for the children’s choir at age 5.

6. Banky W

Wellington was born in the United States to Nigerian parents, but the family moved back to Lagos when he was five years old where he began singing in his church choir at the age of 8.

7. Omawumi

From childhood Omawumi had been known to be a playful, energetic, intelligent and extremely talented child as she was already a lead vocalist in the children’s choir of Foursquare Gospel Church in Warri at the age of 8.

8. Wande Coal

Wande Coal began singing in the teenage choir at his church. He became a dancer for the then Mo’Hits and then moved over to singing.

9. Seyi Shay

Seyi started singing in the choir at the age of six and was part of her secondary school choir.

10. Timaya

When Toolz interviewed Timaya on Ndani TV’s ‘The Juice’, he had this to say ‘I started from church, before starting up as a backup for Eedris Abdulkareem for three years before exploring my music career.’

11. Wizkid

Wizkid Ayo Balogun started singing at the early age of 11 in church under the name ‘Lil Prinz’

12. Jerimiah Gyang

Nabaka crooner, Jerimiah Gyang started from the church too he led the choir as music director.